


Visitation

by archetypals (orphan_account)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-16
Updated: 2013-03-16
Packaged: 2017-12-05 11:10:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/722582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/archetypals
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A one shot written after this week's episode. Gold visits Belle in the hospital.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Visitation

Perhaps it was selfish of him, to visit Belle.

He was, after all, partially to blame for this, for hurting his love once more. Perhaps he should have turned away- he was adept in upsetting her. 

And yet he entered the room, gazing at the body curled in on itself on the bed; his chest tightened at the sight. An innocent, a victim once again to his own recklessness, his past, his own damned wretchedness— he shouldn’t have brought her to the town line, much less so close. He should have made her remain in the Cadillac… though, Gold doubted she would have listened, regardless. 

He exhaled softly, and it alerted her. Turning her head, she let out a gasp and sat up, merely staring at him. “… You look fine for a dying man.” Gold managed a weak chuckle in response, nodding.

“Yes, well… crisis averted.” Not much of a crisis, if he’d just died from the poison— no, don’t think that, not in her presence. Though, gazing at her, noting the fear that seemed to take permanent residence in her eyes, the deal maker found himself thinking of his would-be demise. Nothing more would happen to her; she would not mourn him, she would not be a target any longer. It seemed almost whimsical. 

She gave him a smile and it all seemed to melt away. For a moment, he allowed himself to pretend that it was all going to be alright. He pretended that the glorious woman before him knew who he was, who she was, and that he was to scoop her into his arms and out of the hospital and into a wonderful, effortless, happy life— God, what an idiotic dream.

“I, uh… I’m glad you’re alright.” Her words brought him back to dreadful reality, and his small smile seemed to grow. It brought her… unexpected peace. 

“Thank you, dear.” Simple words, nothing more; he didn’t want to say the wrong thing, scare her, anger her. Hand clenching his cane, Gold willed himself to breathe once more. How ridiculous he acted… 

“I’m sort of tired, Mr.—?”

“Gold.” Rumpelstiltskin, Rum, Rumpel, whatever you’d prefer. 

“Mr. Gold, right… I’d like to rest, if you don’t mind?”

“Right… of course, I’m sorry-“

“No, it’s fine…” Eyes averted for a moment, Belle frowned. “If you’d like to come back, say, tomorrow… that would be nice.” Where did that come from? 

“Are you sure, dear?” Again, breath lost, he stared at the woman he loved on the hospital bed as if she were some creature not even he’d seen before. 

“I-I think so, yes.”

“Then I’ll be here. Until then, B—” He stopped himself before he let her name slip, though by the tenseness in her frame, it was too late.

He slipped away before he could do any more damage. 

… But she longed to see him again. 

Why?


End file.
